Between August and September 2026, we shared several social media posts about Mayor Brett Smiley, John Goncalves, and David Morales. Below are the posts.
Smiley deletes post amid possible ethics violation
A Reddit user flagged that Mayor Smiley used his city-affiliated Instagram account to promote his reelection campaign. The post was later deleted.
Rhode Island law does not authorize official government social media for campaign purposes.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-23-18
Mayor Smiley insults Ward 5 candidates at public event
At a public event, Mayor Smiley was recorded making disparaging remarks about Ward 5 candidates.
He referred to Michael Solomon and Simon Sarkisian as “two stubborn old men” and described Jackie Goldman as a “crazy person.”
Audio posted on @davidmoralespvd and @jackiegoldmanri
John Goncalves accused of misleading endorsements
Reported by the Providence Journal, Ward 1 Councilman John Goncalves used AOC and Ayanna Pressley in a campaign mailer to highlight his progressive credentials, despite neither endorsing him. Both offices called the mailer misleading.
Article: providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/08/13/opponent-says-pvd-councilor-goncalves-falsely-claimed-endorsements-aoc-ties/91279057007
Ageism? “David Morales is too young and inexperienced”
Progressives sweep Providence Election. What now for bike lanes, schools, and rent stabilization?
Providence voters overhauled City Hall last night, ousting Mayor Brett Smiley and several other right-leaning members of the City Council in favor of progressives.
David Morales defeated Smiley, while Miguel Martínez Youngs unseated John Goncalves in Ward 1 and David Marshall defeated Ana Vargas in Ward 7. Progressive victories by Jackie Goldman, Yulyana Torres, Annajane Yolken and others helped solidify the Council to the left.
Importantly, the incoming Council now has the votes required to override a mayoral veto, a threshold progressives fell short of amid tensions with Smiley over rent stabilization, bike infrastructure, affordable-housing tax policy, and other progressive priorities.
Providence now enters 2027 with something it hasn’t had under Smiley: a progressive mayor and a veto-proof progressive City Council majority.